Team Rocket trio

Meowth, James, and Jessie

The Team Rocket trio, sometimes referred to as TRio or JJM, is a trio of members of Team Rocket, consisting of Jessie, James, and Meowth.

In the anime

File:TR Party Original.png

Team Rocket with all of their Pokémon in the original series

The Team Rocket trio blasting off again

The trio in their black uniforms

Since making their debut in the second episode of the anime, they have since appeared in almost every single episode up until the beginning of the Best Wishes series, where they appeared less frequently. As such, they are the most prominent representation of Team Rocket as a whole in the anime.

In most of their appearances, they attempt to capture Ash's Pikachu, or any other Pokémon to give to their boss, Giovanni. However, they almost always get defeated and are blasted off with their iconic catchphrase "We're blasting off again!". Typically right after making a capture, they will recite their motto, though on some occasions they're unable to finish. This has been parodied by protagonists and even other Team Rocket members, such as Butch and Cassidy.

Since their debut, the trio is near-singlemindedly obsessed with capturing Ash's Pikachu, particularly after witnessing its power, and have relentlessly pursued Ash and his friends across the various regions of the Pokémon world to do so; though they often succeed in doing so, they never manage to hold on to Pikachu for long. To this end, they frequently develop various kinds of shockproof gadgets and machinery to do so (mechas, rubber suits, etc.). However, these gadgets are often circumvented by non-Electric attacks and abilities, which they constantly forget to account for, or simply backfire in the end.

Even though they usually only cause trouble for the main characters, they have sometimes helped them, mostly when dealing with a common enemy, as shown in The Power of One and later against Team Aqua and Team Magma. They also played a key part in the fight against Team Galactic, teaming up with Looker. They occasionally put their differences aside for personal reasons, only to later return to their thieving ways. One of the more common moments of truce is during Pokémon Contests, which Jessie had a fondness for participating in; however, Ash and his friends are unaware that it is her.

On several occasions, Jessie, James and Meowth have shown that they are not that bad and even have affection for Ash and his friends. The trio heroically sacrificed themselves to certain death in The Power of One in order to allow Ash's escape on Lugia. They also saved him from a fall in the next movie, Spell of the Unown. Whilst their justification was that in the case of the world being destroyed or Ash's death, they'd be out of work, it is implied that this is just bluster to cover the fact that they are not bad people. In Charizard's Burning Ambition, Team Rocket kept Ash's Charizard awake as it lay in the lake, and then built a huge mecha and attacked the Charicific Valley for the sole purpose of allowing Charizard to defeat them and gain acceptance in the Valley.

Though their general incompetence in making any sort of contribution to Team Rocket didn't go well for them as Giovanni contemplated firing them in one episode (but reassigned them due to problematic developments and manpower shortages in Team Rocket) and was shown to not even remember who they were in The Thief That Keeps on Thieving!. However, due to their false reports that they alone caused Team Aqua, Team Magma, and Team Galactic to disband, Matori recommended them to Giovanni for his plans in the Unova region. The trio got promoted and soon they became more serious and less goofy, changing to their black uniforms from their original white uniforms. They focused less on capturing random Pokémon and more on the assignments that are given to them straight from headquarters. In Battling For The Love of Bug-Types! however, Matori informed them that they won't be needed for any more missions at the time. They began to worry that the boss had abandoned them. Before Matori contacted them about the situation, they have already returned to their white uniforms without being informed why. Therefore, they have returned to planning their own schemes like they did in the previous series, but often carry out their current plans in the same manner as their most recent missions and Dr. Zager frequently assists them in these schemes. They do keep some gadgets, such as jet packs they occasionally use to retreat; they very rarely blasted off during the Best Wishes series, and maintain their recent boost in athleticism.

Meowth traveled with Ash, Iris and Cilan from Meowth's Scrafty Tactics! to Crisis from the Underground Up! after apparently messing up a mission in Nimbasa City, being fired from Team Rocket and splitting up with Jessie and James. However, in Crisis from the Underground Up! it was revealed that Meowth was never fired from Team Rocket, his travels with Ash, Iris and Cilan being part of their latest scheme. Meowth then rejoined Jessie and James.

Later, in Stopping the Rage of Legends! Part 1 and Stopping the Rage of Legends! Part 2, they plotted to capture Tornadus and Thundurus; however, their attempts were foiled by Ash, his friends, and Landorus.

In A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1, they stole a Cover Fossil and revived it into a Tirtouga so they could force it to lead them to a portal to the past. However, they were stopped by Ash and his friends.

Beginning in An Epic Defense Force!, they have made various attempts to capture Meloetta, only for it to disappear on each attempt. However, they managed to capture it in Meloetta and the Undersea Temple! and Unova's Survival Crisis! with the help of Giovanni and Dr. Zager after the former defeated Ash with his Persian. The trio capturing Meloetta was part of the plan in order for Giovanni to summon the Kami trio using the Reveal Glass. However, once Meloetta was freed from his control, Giovanni became possessed by the item's powers which made him want raging power. The Team Rocket trio temporarily switch sides in order to stop Giovanni. They did so by pushing him off a cliff, which managed to snap him out of the controlled rage. Losing Meloetta foiled their plans in capturing the Kami trio, along with interference by Ridley, Ash and the others. With Giovanni back to normal, he along with the trio, Dr. Zager and the Rocket Grunts, leave Unova and return to Kanto.

They were revealed to have returned to Unova in New Places... Familiar Faces!, with returning gags in their team. They also revealed that after the failure of their big scheme to take over Unova using the power of the legendary Pokémon had failed, they had gone back for their older style of chasing Pikachu and every other seemingly valuable Pokémon around. As a part of their return back to the older style, they also started using ther original motto and an enhanced version of their Meowth balloon once again. However, they seemed to be more vulnerable than before, having now blasted off a several times without showing any signs of their new and still mostly retained ego boost. From BW115 on, though, they used jetpacks again to escape instead of blasting off.

In BW120 and BW121 they were spying at Team Plasma's operation at the White Ruins. It was only after Looker found out where they were hiding in BW122 that they decided to take action against Team Plasma's plots, under Looker's guidance.

In the games

In Pokémon Yellow, Jessie and James appear and are involved in Team Rocket's scheme, and typically appear before the player battles Giovanni. They also replace the three Team Rocket members in the Pokémon Tower that hold Mr. Fuji hostage as well as two Team Rocket Grunts: one close to the exit of Mt. Moon and the other one near the entrance to the President's room at Silph Co. Curiously, they are never referred to by their individual names and share their Trainer class with all other Team Rocket Grunts.

They first attack the player in Mt. Moon, while trying to take one of the rare fossils uncovered there.

Later, in Celadon City's Rocket Game Corner, Jessie and James guard Giovanni's room in the Team Rocket base. During that time, as the player runs into them, they are eager for revenge after the main character busted up their plans at Mt. Moon.

They hold Mr. Fuji hostage at Pokémon Tower. They attack the player on the seventh floor.

Finally, at Silph Co. in Saffron City, Jessie and James make their final appearance, once again trying to stall the main character from reaching their Boss.

Unlike in the anime, Jessie and James do not follow the main character around and come up with their usual evil plans to capture Pikachu. Also, Meowth resides in a Poké Ball instead of traveling around with Jessie and James.

Pokémon

First battle

Rocket Mt. Moon Yellow Professor and Professor Rocket Oak Mt. Moon Yellow Reward: $420

Type: Poison Unknown Ekans Lv.14 Wrap Normal   --       Leer Normal   --       Poison Sting Poison   --       Struggle Normal   --       Type: Normal Unknown Meowth Lv.14 Scratch Normal   --       Growl Normal   --       Bite Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Koffing Lv.14 Tackle Normal   --       Smog Poison   --       Struggle Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --

Second battle

Rocket Rocket Hideout Yellow Professor and Professor Rocket Oak Rocket Hideout Yellow Reward: $750
Type: Poison Unknown Ekans Lv.25 Bite Normal   --       Leer Normal   --       Poison Sting Poison   --       Glare Normal   --       Type: Normal Unknown Meowth Lv.25 Growl Normal   --       Bite Normal   --       Pay Day Normal   --       Screech Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Koffing Lv.25 Tackle Normal   --       Smog Poison   --       Struggle Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --

Third battle

Rocket Pokémon Tower Yellow Professor and Professor Rocket Oak Pokémon Tower Yellow Reward: $810
Type: Poison Unknown Arbok Lv.27 Bite Normal   --       Leer Normal   --       Poison Sting Poison   --       Glare Normal   --       Type: Normal Unknown Meowth Lv.27 Growl Normal   --       Bite Normal   --       Screech Normal   --       Pay Day Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Weezing Lv.27 Tackle Normal   --       Smog Poison   --       Sludge Poison   --       Struggle Normal   --

Fourth battle

Rocket Silph Co. Yellow Professor and Professor Rocket Oak Silph Co. Yellow Reward: $930
Type: Poison Unknown Arbok Lv.31 Bite Normal   --       Leer Normal   --       Poison Sting Poison   --       Glare Normal   --       Type: Normal Unknown Meowth Lv.31 Growl Normal   --       Bite Normal   --       Pay Day Normal   --       Screech Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Weezing Lv.31 Tackle Normal   --       Smog Poison   --       Sludge Poison   --       Struggle Normal   --

Quotes

Mt. Moon

• Before battle

"Stop right there! That fossil is Team Rocket's! Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

• When defeated

"A brat beat us?"

• After being defeated

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

Rocket Hideout

• Before battle

"Not another step, brat! How dare you humiliate us at Mt. Moon! It's payback time, you brat!"

• When defeated

"Such a dreadful twerp!"

• After being defeated

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Pokémon Tower

• Before battle:

"Stop right there! Grampa here wanted to complain, so we're setting him straight. So render yourself invisible, or prepare to fight!"

• When defeated

"You will regret this!"

• After being defeated

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Silph Co.

• Before battle

"Hold it right there, brat! Our Boss is in a meeting! You better not disturb him!"

• When defeated

"Like always..."

• After being defeated

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light! Again..."

In the manga

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

In the Ash and Pikachu manga

The Team Rocket trio is seen following Ash and company in the manga series Ash and Pikachu, which is based on the anime.

In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

The trio appears in The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga series. Jessie and James are later shown married, with Jessie visibly pregnant.

In the TCG

Jessie and James appear on both versions of the card Here Comes Team Rocket!, which originally released in the Team Rocket set; it was re-released with different artwork in EX Team Rocket Returns. In that expansion, there were also preconstructed Theme Decks based on Jessie and James.

• 

  Team Rocket artwork

• 

  EX Team Rocket Returns artwork

Trivia

• In the anime, Team Rocket saying "Team Rocket is blasting off again!" is presumably inspired by the first episode of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles OVA, which was released in Japan in 1996 before the Pokémon anime was ever released a year later.

See also

• Episodes focusing on Team Rocket
• Team Rocket mottos
• Team Rocket's mechas

Team Rocket's Pokémon
Travel with:	Meowth	Rotom Phone
	Jessie			James
On hand:	Wobbuffet	Seviper	Yanmega	Mime Jr.	Carnivine	Yamask
	Woobat	Frillish	Gourgeist	Amoonguss	Inkay	Morpeko
In training:				Cacnea
At home:				Growlie	Chimecho
Released:	Arbok	Dustox	Mimikyu	Weezing	Gyarados	Mareanie
Traded away:	Lickitung			Victreebel
Lived with (all three):	Bewear	Stufful
Worked with (all three):	Delibird	Pelipper
Temporarily owned:	Porygon Zero	Shellder	Magikarp	Second Victreebel	Hoppip
	Mawile
Befriended:	Blissey
Status unknown:	Starmie			Pidgey	Numel
For a list of other Pokémon Team Rocket has commanded, see here and here

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.